The Argosy — page 396: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

376 Life at Gastein. ‘What a question in Gastein! And from you too, a patient. I wish I could say yes; but, alas, it is always no.” “Then we will together find out whether this signal is not much-ado- about-nothing.” Re-ascending the rugged hill-side, we were soon in the road. Past the only shop the place could boast of for all visible sign of another ; where everything but bread and meat was sold: past the solitary apothecary’s, who dispensed his pills and black draughts from the first floor of an old house. He was scarcely ever in, that apothecary. A perpetual placard was suspended from the handle of the door announ- cing that he was at the Hirsch, where he was in the habit of taking-his meals ; so that at last I came to the conclusion that he spent most of his time in eating and drinking. Yet how thin he was. A pale, hollow face ; a bushel of light yellow hair that stood on end as if it had once been electrified and never recovered the shock ; clothes that appeared to contain nothing but a pair of broad shoulders and long, lean legs, absolutely repudiating the notion of such a thing asastomach. His temperament was decidedly phlegmatic ; he worked in a calm, deliberate manner, thinking it best perhaps to be slow and sure ; though he never gave you the idea that he thought of anything: except, perhaps, the Hirsch and its larder. Past the pharmacy we journeyed : past Straubinger’s, and through the wandelbahn, where we loitered for a moment’s chat with the library woman ; out again into the open, and in sight of the villa. The red flag had disappeared. The doctor rubbed his eyes. ‘“‘ It certainly was there,” cried he. ‘I don’t think it was fancy. You saw itp” “Undoubtedly. We both saw it. Marie has perhaps lost patience and taken it in.” We went on, and no sooner appeared on the steps than out rushed Marie, her hands raised in dismay. ‘‘ Marie,” cried the doctor, “ whence this inconsistency. What made you show the signal and then withdraw it? ” ‘‘ Why had she shown the signal? Because the Herr Doctor's dinner was getting cold, and she wondered why he did not arrive to eat it. But when the damage was done and the dinner frozen, she took it in again. He might then come when it pleased him.” We looked at each other in dismay. No thought of dinner had — occurred to either. The table d’héte hour had long passed. There remained but to make the best of it. The doctor hastened in to his neglected meal, and I went back to Straubinger’s at a quicker pace than usual ; determined for once to be thankful for small mercies. The days went on, and our stay was drawing toaclose. I had ori- ginally started for Gastein with the intention of remaining there three months; but this was found to be not only unnecessary, but sheerly ECORNICLOOO SS (C(O) mn —_)